Aims and Hypotheses

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

A general statement describing what the study intends to investigate

Question 2

Operationalisation of variables

Answer 2

Making clear how the variables are understood and how they will be measured

Question 3

Experimental hypothesis

Answer 3

A testable statement used in an experiment to predict what will happen in an investigation (both DV and IV are operationalised)

Question 4

Alternative hypothesis

Answer 4

A testable statement used in a non-experimental method to predict what will happen in an investigation

Question 5

Directional hypothesis

Answer 5

A hypothesis that predicts a very specific direction of outcome of a study (one tailed)

Question 6

Non-directional hypothesis

Answer 6

A hypothesis that does not state a specific direction of outcome of a study but predicts a difference (two tailed)

Question 7

Research question

Answer 7

Question which describes what the psychology wants to find out an answer to

Question 8

Independent variable

Answer 8

(IV) a variable which is manipulated

Question 9

Dependant variable

Answer 9

(DV) a variable which is measured

Question 10

Alternative/ experimental/ research hypothesis

Answer 10

Hypothesis that predicts a difference in the dependant variable “is a significant difference”

Question 11

Null hypothesis

Answer 11

Hypothesis that predicts no difference in the dependant variable “isn’t a significant difference”